1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to seating systems for motor vehicles and, more particularly, relates to a seat assembly for a motor vehicle which is stored below the surface of the vehicle's floor. The invention also pertains to a related method.
2. Discussion
Automotive vehicles, such as minivans, vans, station wagons, sport utility vehicles and the like, are often purchased for their carrying capacity. This carrying capacity includes both the transportation of passengers and the transportation of various sizes and amounts of cargo. For this reason, many of these vehicles are provided with one or more retractable seats which enable increased storage capacity when there is a limited number of passengers.
To satisfy the conflicting goals of maximizing passenger and cargo capacity, it is known to provide a motor vehicle with a removable seat assembly. For example, many current minivans are equipped with a rear bench seat that can be removed in order to increase cargo capacity. While such arrangements have proven to be commercially successful, they have disadvantages. For example, the weight and awkwardness of the vehicle seat often require that two persons remove the seat. Additionally, it is not always convenient to store the seat assembly once removed from the motor vehicle.
To a more limited extent, it is also known to provide motor vehicles with retractable seats. For example, retractable seat assemblies which fold into a seat storage compartment are known. One such example is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,195,795.
In view of known prior constructions, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a seat assembly that is retractable into a rearward storage area which does not restrict under seat storage.